Automatic speed indicating and registering device.



. R. STAR. AUTOMATIC SPEED INDICATING AND REGISTERING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 30, 1912.

1,080,494. Patented Dec.2,1913.

2' SHEETS-SHEET 1.

I A 1 \"N R. STAR.

AUTOMATIG SPEED INDIOATING AND REGISTERING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED $EPT. 30, 1912.

Patented Dec. 2, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED sTAa ns PATENT OFFICE.

RICHARD STAR, 01 THE UNITED STATES NAVY.

AUTOMATIC SPEED INDICATING AND "REGISTERING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 2,1913.

Application filed Seiptember 30, 1912. Serial No. 723,158.

'5 and useful" Improvements in Automatic Speed Indicating and Registering Devices; and I do hereby decl re the following to be a full, clear and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make .and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in automatic speed indicating and registering devices, and it consists in the construct-ions, combinations and arrangements herein described and claimed.

An object of my invention is to provide an improved speed indicating and registering apparatus adapted to operate with a high degree of efiiciency throughout a large range of speeds.

A further object of my ini ention is to provide a simple and compact speed indicating and registering apparatus for ships adapted to be efiiciently controlled by a distant deiiice actuated by the speed of the ship. A further object of my invention is to provide an improved speed indicating and registering apparatus containing clock mechanism and provided with means for automatically regulating said clock mechanism to insure uniform operation at all speeds' In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, and in which similar reference symbols indicate corre sponding parts in the several views :Figure 1 is a vertical section on the line 1 1 of Fig. 2, with parts broken away, illustrating one embodiment of my invention. Fig. 2 is a section on the line 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. a section on the line 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a face view of the indicating and reg istering device, and Fig. 5 is a face view of the. clock mechanism.

ieterring to the drawings, 1 indicates a casing provided with vertical guides 2 slidably supporting a panel 3; said panel carrying journal brackets .4 5, and 6 and a journal bearing tor a pin 7.

A casing 8 is supported by brackets 9 on said panel 3, and contains a speed indicating. device 10 operated by a spindle 11 and a distance registering device 12 operated by a spindle 13.

A bevel gear 14: is secured on the spindle 13 in mesh with a bevel gear 15, which latter is journaled in the brackets t and 5 and splined on a shaft 16 slidably and rotatably mounted in said brackets; said shaft 16 being supported by a bearing 17 on a shiftable arm 18 slidably mounted on a vertical guide 19.

The lower end of the shaft 16 carries a friction wheel 20, of rubber or other suitable material, which is normally supported 22; said disk being driven at uniform speed by clock mechanism 23 supported by the panel 3.

The indicator spindle 11 is actuated by a 'gear wheel 21 secured tliereonin mesh wit-h a rack' 25 carried by the shiftable arm 18. A gear wheel 26 is secured on said spindle 11 in mesh with' an idle gear 27 loosely mounted on the spindle 13 and meshing with a gear 28 provided with means-tor regulating the clock mechanism; I haveshown such regulating means comprising a split pin 29 on said gear 28 for engaging the escapement spring of the clock mechanism.

A sprocket chain 30 is adapted to be operatively connected to an suitable distant de-. vice actuated proporti inat'ely to the ships speed by the hydrostatic head of the water of flotation; such as sliown, for example, in U. S. Patent No. 1007280, of Oct. 31, 1011. The chain 30 is led over guide pulleys 31 in the casing 1 to form a bighttor receiving a sprocket wheel secured on the pin 7 ot the sliding panel 3; whereby said panel and the entire mechanism carried thereby will be supported by said bight; This provides a simple and highly advantageous construction for insuring the maintenance of uniform tension in the sprocket chain :50 and preventing lost motion during all expansion and contraction of said sprocket chain due to temperature changes or other causes.

A cam wheel 3 -3 is secured on the spindle 7'and provided with a spiral cam groove 3-1- -for engaging the end of the slidnble arm 18 for shifting the latter; said'spiral groove being formed with a varying pitch adapted to shift said arm 18 accurately through equal distances for all equal changes in the speed of the ship.

in the operation of my invention, the parts are so adjusted that, when the speed is ii/ Z. the indicator pointer rests at zero and the Friction wheel 20 is supported opposite the axial recess 21 ol thc'driving disk 22.

travel of the ship will cause the sprocket opposite an axial recess 21 in a drive disk With such adjustment. ol the apparatus chain 30 to be actuated to'rotate the sprocket Wheel 32; thereby shifting the cam Wheel 33 to raise the slidable arm 18 a distance proportionate to the ships speed. During such elevation of said arm 18, the rack 25 will turn the gear wheel 24: to swing the inclicator pointer 10 for indicating the ships speed at that particular moment, and the shaft 16 will raise the friction Wheel 20 into engagement with the driving disk 22 to cause the registeringdevice to be operated by the clock mechanism at a speed proportioned to the distance the frictional wheel 20 is thus shifted radially on the driving disk 22; thereby causing the intermeshing bevel gears 15 and 14 to drive the operating spindle 13 of the registering device 12 for registering on the latter the distance traveled by the ship.

Upon any change in the speed of the ship, the cam Wheel 33 will shift ta arm 18 and the rack 25 and shaft 16 carified thereby, to swing the indicator to the proper speed index, and to shift the friction Wheel 20 toward or from the axis of the drive disk 22 for varying the speed at which the registering device will be driven through said friction wheel 20. This shifting of the fric tion Wheel 20 across the face of the driving disk 22 causes variations in the'driving load on said disk 22, and in large ranges of speed would prevent accurate uniform rotation of said disk by the clock mechanism 23.

My above described regulating mechanism 29 controlled by the rack 25 compensates for all variations in the load on the driving disk 22, and "insures an accurate drive of the registering device at all speeds.

I have illustrated and described preferred and satisfactorv constructions, but changes could be made within the spirit and scope of my invention.

, I claim 1. In an automatic apparatus, the combi nation of an indicating device, a distance registeringdevice, a clock mechanism for actuating said distance registering device, and a flexible clement adapted to be operated by a speed indicating means and provided with a bight supporting said apparatus for actuating said indicating device and governing the action of said distance-registering device.

2. In an automatic apparatus, the combination of an indicating device, a distanceregistering device, a sprocket Wheel for actuating said indicating device, a clock mechanism for actuating said distance registering device, means actuated by said sprocket Wheel for governing the action of said distanceregistering mechanism, and a sprocket chain adapted to be operated by a speed indicating means and provided with a bight supporting said sprocket Wheel.

3. In an automatic apparatus, the combination of an indicating device, a distanceregistering device, a sprocket wheel for actuating said indicating device, a clock mechanism for actuating said distance-registering device, means actuated by said sprocket wheel for governing the action of said distance-registering device, guides slidably supporting said automatic apparatus, and a sprocket chain adapted to be operated by a speed indicating means and provided with a bight supporting said sprocket wheel.

4. In an automatic apparatus, the combi nation of a registering device, clock mechanism for actuating said device, means for varying the extent of such actuation of said device, and means for automatically compensating for the varying load on said clock mechanism due to such variation in the actuation of said device.

5. In an automatic apparatus, the combination of a registering device, clock mechanism for actuating said device, adjustable means for varying the extent of such actuation of said device, regulating means for automatically compensating for the varying load on said clock mechanism due to such variation in the actuation of said device, and a common means for actuating said adjustable means and regulating means.

(5. In an automatic apparatus, the combi nation of a registering device, clock mechanism for actuating said device, means independent of said clock mechanism lor var ving the extent of such actuation of said device, and means for simultaneously eouipensating for the varying load on said clock mechanism due to such variation in the actuation of said device.

7. In an automatic apparatus, the con'ibination of a registering device, a uniformly driven disk provided with an axial recess, connections for actuating said device including a friction wheel normally maintained opposite such axial. recess, and means for shifting said friction \vhccl across the face of said disk. I

S. In an automatic apparatus, the combination of a registering device, a uniformly driven disk provided with an axial recrss, an adjustable bearing, a shaft journaled in said bearing, a friction wheel normally supported by said shaft opposite such axial recess, means for adjusting said bearing for shifting said friction \vheel across the face of said disk. and means actuated by said shaft for operating said registering device.

In testimony whereof, aflix my signature, in presence of two Witnesses.

RICHARD STAR.

\Vitnesses C. N. K0011, Crms. A. BURT.

Copies oLihis patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

